Hi Bruce,

Thanks for your interest in Elm Park. There are a few sources you can check, either at the Worcester Public Library or the Worcester Historical Museum: There’s a document by Rudy J. Favretti, “History of Elm Park, Worcester, Masssachusetts (Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Environmental Management, 1985), that gives a good accounting. You can also check Worcester City Documents for written reports by Edward Winslow Lincoln about the building of the park. Some of those reports include pictures. The Worcester Historical Museum also has a great library of images of the city, including Elm Park.

A great resource is the Olmsted Archives in Brookline, Mass., http://www.nps.gov/frla/olmstedarchives.htm, part of the National Parks Service system. They house comprehensive records of all of the Olmsted Firm’s projects. And of course, you’ll find a more detailed history of the park in my book!

I hope this helps. Good luck with your research.

Hi Nathan,

That sounds like a great project. Elm Park can certainly use your help! I would start with the Central Mass Regional Environmental Council, http://www.recworcester.org. They have done a lot of work with park and neighborhood clean-ups for Earth Day over the years. Also be sure to contact the City of Worcester Department of Parks, Recreation and Cemeteries, http://www.worcesterma.gov/dpw/parks-rec. Good luck and thanks for caring to help improve our city’s parks!